Assumptions and Conclusions
by starbeamz
Summary: Marissa has a twin?” he wonders. “Yes, she does. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go jump off the nearest cliff." These Townsend girls, Ryan thinks, they’re such a mess. AU RT
1. Chapter 1

The first time Taylor hears Ryan Atwood's name, it's from her twin sister, Marissa, who comes home from another rager at Holly Fischer's house and is full of Ryan this and Ryan that. Taylor thinks her sister is crazy. Why would she even need to _look_ at another guy when she has Luke Ward at her beck and call?

Staying quiet, Taylor listens to Marissa's drunken slurring before she guides her sister into her bedroom and deposits her on the bed. Then, she goes back to reading a book of French poems that she's recently fallen in love with.

Ryan Atwood is forgotten.

XXX

Because Veronica Townsend is quite possibly the most vindictive mother in the history of mothers, she sends Taylor to visit family in Phoenix during the weekend of Cotillion. Taylor has always dreamed of Cotillion and making her debut in a beautiful white ball gown, and, hopefully, finding her prince charming waiting for her at the end.

Instead, she spends the weekend with her maternal grandmother who hates Taylor almost as much as Veronica does.

When she returns to Newport, Veronica is bursting at the seams with pride at how beautiful Marissa looked and how that "felon from Chino" cleaned up nicely enough for her perfect daughter. Marissa was flawless, and Veronica is thrilled because her daughter was brilliant even though her escort ended up having to knock Holly Fischer's father out because he attacked that money-laundering Jimmy Cooper.

"You should try to be more like Marissa, Taylor," Veronica critiques her for the billionth time in her life. "She's thin, she's willowy, and she's got every boy drooling after her. It's unfortunate that, despite the fact that you're twins, you couldn't be more different."

The way she says "different," Taylor understands that it's meant negatively. At this point in her life, Taylor's figured out that she's a duck. Every insult tends to just roll off her.

Marissa's too busy flirting with Chino-boy to notice that Taylor's back from her trip.

XXX

When Marissa lands in the hospital because of an overdose of tequila and painkillers in Tijuana, Taylor resists the urge to roll her eyes. Her twin is quite possibly the worst cliché in the world—the poor, little rich girl who has everything and is still miserable.

Taylor goes to the hospital to visit her and meets Ryan Atwood for the first time. He's lurking around the corner from Marissa's room because Veronica has decided that he's a danger to her precious daughter.

"Ryan, right?" He frowns at her, and she sighs. "I'm Taylor. Marissa's twin?"

He looks confused, and she wonders if that look is permanently fixed to his face. Maybe people from Chino really are mentally challenged. "Marissa has a twin?"

His words hit her in the chest, and she wonders why she's so surprised that Marissa neglected to mention her sister. "Yes," she replied calmly even though she's breaking inside. "Yes, she does. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go jump off the nearest cliff."

She walks away, and he watches her go, wondering if she was serious about jumping off a cliff. These Townsend girls, he thinks, they're such a mess.

Two minutes later, he forgets all about Taylor when Veronica comes out and coldly tells him that he can visit with Marissa for five minutes.

XXX

"I hear you met Ryan."

Taylor glances up from the filing she's doing for the secretary of the Harbor School's Dean of Discipline. Seth Cohen ambles his way towards her with Anna Stern, the new girl, and she smiles at them. She still can't believe she was lucky enough that a girl like Anna has finally moved to Newport. If only Anna could be her twin instead of Marissa…

"I met him," she replies before shuffling a stack of files.

Anna leans against the secretary's desk with a mischievous expression on her face. "I hear your twin is dating him. At least, that's what Seth here tells me."

_Why am I not surprised?_ Taylor wonders. "Well, considering he steals cars and burns down million-dollar homes, and she's the girl who ODs on pills and tequila, I'm sure they're a match made in heaven."

Seth looks offended. "Hey, now. We've been friends since kindergarten, so don't make me pitch a hissy fit over you insulting my brother."

"Brother?" Taylor arches a brow at him. "Really, Seth. Isn't that just asking for trouble? I mean, I know Kirsten and Sandy are smart people, but adopting him? Is that a good idea?"

"He totally had my back against Luke at one of Holly's parties this summer," Seth defends Ryan's honor. "Besides, you don't even know him! How can you, of all people, judge a book by its cover?"

Anna hooks her arms around both their shoulders, able to sense a fight brewing. "You've known each other since kindergarten? I feel like there's a story there."

Seth shrugs his shoulder in his signature move. "Well, you know, when you're the only two people who understand and appreciate the art form of animé in a kindergarten class of twenty-five spoiled Newpsies, it's kind of hard to be anything _but_ friends."

"Aww, that's so cute," Anna coos as they leave the office and step into the bustling hallways of Harbor.

Taylor abhors the first day of school. When she hears Summer Roberts squeal over something with girls on the cheer team, she remembers why. She can't believe she shares DNA with Summer Roberts' best friend.

Next to her, Anna is chiding Seth for being too easy. "Girls only like guys who don't chase after them. Don't look at her."

"Oh, but Anna-"

Taylor smiles. She might not be as pretty or popular or _thin_ as Marissa, but she likes her life the way it is. Most days.

XXX

When she finds Ryan anxiously waiting for Marissa by her sister's locker, Taylor begins to feel pity towards him. It's only been three weeks since they started dating, but she's heard that things are not all smooth sailing. Apparently, Luke Ward isn't as over her as he thought, and, apparently, Marissa finds it amusing enough to entertain his advances.

Of course, nothing involving Marissa is smooth sailing.

So, when Taylor sees Ryan, she decides to be nice. After all, it can't be easy being masochistic enough to date Marissa Townsend. "Ryan." She smiles when he glances up at her as she approaches.

"Taylor. Hi." He offers her a smile. "I thought you were going to go jump off a cliff?"

She can feel embarrassed color seeping from her neck to her face. "Uh, yes, well, I decided that I had too much to do and killing myself certainly wasn't going to accomplish me going to France, falling in love with a passionate Frenchman who will write passionate stories about me, and living happily ever after. You know?"

No wonder Marissa didn't tell him about her twin, Ryan thinks. "Right. Well, glad you're still living. Uh, do you know where Marissa is? We were supposed to meet here twenty minutes ago."

Taylor doesn't want to tell him that she saw Marissa and Luke talking in a classroom around the corner, so she doesn't. The guy probably has enough on his plate, she figures. "No, I haven't seen her." She hesitates. "Look, Ryan, I know I'm probably not the person you want to hear advice from—heck, this is the first time we've even talked, so why would you take advice from virtually a stranger, right? I mean, what with stranger danger and all, huh?" She's babbling and can't seem to stop. Ryan just stares at her, a half-amused, half-confused expression on his face. "Yeah, okay, well here's the deal. I know you like Marissa, but I know my sister, Ryan. She's not exactly reliable, and you seem like a nice enough guy, so I'm telling you to be careful around her. She could break your heart. She's done it before."

The amusement is gone and has been replaced with a blank stare. "Marissa and I are fine. She's just late. It's not a big deal."

Too late, Taylor thinks. Poor guy, he's already half in love with her sister. Well, she hopes Seth will help pick up the pieces after Marissa gets through with his new brother.

XXX

When Ryan and Marissa hit the rocks between the Oliver debacle and the part where he impregnated his ex-girlfriend in Chino, Taylor suffers through Marissa's moaning and whining, sobbing and dramatic exclamations. She certain that she shouldn't say something like, "Well, I could have told you so," or if she should go congratulate Ryan for finally breaking free of the ball and chain.

She does neither and, come autumn and the start of junior year, realizes that it would have been pointless to say anything anyway. Ryan moves back to Newport, Marissa hooks up with the yard guy—Taylor figured that one out when she found them in a heated moment over the summer—and then Ryan starts dating the new girl. Since Anna's move back to Pittsburgh, Taylor and Seth have fallen apart and Lindsey's arrival seemed to be kismet…until Taylor finds her making out with Ryan in a closed classroom after school.

Newport, she thinks with a shake of her head as she walks away from a flustered Lindsey and embarrassed Ryan. These people will never learn.

XXX

Junior flies by as Taylor buries herself in work and pretends that her family does not exist. Things seem to work fine until Marissa shoots Ryan's brother.

Taylor wishes the earth could just open up and swallow her whole. She's sure it would be much less painful than living with a hysterical Veronica Townsend and an angst-ridden Marissa. She doesn't bother rolling her eyes when Marissa's dramatics don't cease when she starts attending Newport Union.

XXX

"I can't believe they're arguing over this again," Taylor mutters to herself as she stands outside her house, listening to the sounds of a Ryan/Marissa argument. This one seems to be over the same thing the last three have been: Johnny Harper.

Marissa's high-pitched shrieking carries easily through the open windows and is followed by the lower rumblings of Ryan's voice.

Deciding that she does not want to be in the house because it's sure to cause her headaches, she walks over to the lush green grass of the front lawn and lays down, not really caring that she could easily be covered in bugs and dirt and all the grimy things that are sure to incite a Veronica lecture about what a failure she is.

Instead, Taylor goes off to her happy place and dreams of the future when she can escape Newport and all of its insanity. She cannot wait until she can go somewhere and just be Taylor Townsend instead of Veronica's daughter or Marissa's twin. She is desperately ready to be her own person.

Drifting off, she doesn't notice when the argument in the house behind her ends, when the front door opens and slams shut, or when footsteps start to cross the driveway and then stop and change directions.

When she opens her eyes, she nearly screams. Pressing a hand to her racing heart, she blinks up at her visitor. "Ryan? What are you doing here?"

He watches her curiously, wondering why she is sprawled out in the middle of the lawn at close to midnight. "Are you okay?"

Her brows lift, surprised that the first time someone other than Seth asks her how _she_ is it's Ryan Atwood. She sits up and starts to push herself off the ground when he grabs hold of her arm and helps her up. Surprised with the move, she stumbles off balance, and he catches her before she falls.

Taylor looks up to thank him and finds herself trapped when their eyes lock. Did she ever notice just how _blue_ his eyes were? Or how many expressions race across them as he studies her every bit as closely as she studies him? She wonders if he can feel the way her heart is racing.

Ryan doesn't know why he's holding onto her. After all, he's dating her twin, and the last thing he needs is for Marissa to catch him with her sister in his arms. But there's something else, he thinks for a moment. There's something here, and he's not sure what. So they continue to stare at each other until something dawns on him.

Maybe there's more to Taylor Townsend than what all the Newpsies and Marissa say. Maybe he's been wrong to draw conclusions about her based on what everyone else says. After all, she _was_ Seth's best friend for most of their lives, right? He opens his mouth to say something…

…but she shatters the moment by detaching his hand from her arm and stepping back.

"Taylor…" he begins with no idea what he's going to say.

"Forget it, Ryan. I have to go." She grabs her bag from the ground and hurries up to the house.

She's not sure what _that_ was, but she knows one thing is certain. Ryan Atwood is not good for her, and she had better remember that.

XXX

**AN: **_Never fear! I promise that the ending of Blaming You is coming. This is just something else that popped into my head and is so obviously AU. I just wondered what it might be like if Marissa and Taylor had been twins...and here's the result. This one is mostly written so the rest will be posted soon :)_


	2. Chapter 2

Marissa is back at Harbor, and everyone is thrilled—except for Ryan Atwood. Taylor knows that he dumped her sister for being too much to handle, and Marissa wasted no time jumping into bed with that sleazy Volchok from Union. Ryan broods while Marissa prances about as the queen of the school.

Taylor tries desperately not to notice Ryan, so she starts to spend more time in the library or sketching ideas in the drawing studio. Anything, she thinks, to stay out of sight of Ryan. She wants to stop thinking about that moment, but he chases her even in her dreams.

Really, she tells herself. It's getting out of control and must be stopped.

So she submerses herself in the architecture of Paris where she's gotten into the Sorbonne. She's been to Paris before, but she's _très _excited that she's actually going to go to school there. Or, at least, she hopes she will. She's just hoping Veronica won't balk at paying for the Sorbonne education. Berkeley may be cheaper, but Taylor's dreams rest on the Sorbonne.

One day, she's poring over the diagrams of the Eiffel Tower when a shadow slants across the pages. She nearly has a heart attack when she finds Ryan frowning over the blueprints in front of her.

"You like architecture?" he asks incredulously, putting her back up.

Her brows lower, and she shrugs. "I enjoy many things, and so what that architecture happens to be among them? What difference does it make to you, Ryan Atwood? Hmm?"

"Whoa, Taylor. You don't have to get so defensive," he tells her with a small smile. She thinks it's an adorable smile, and then promptly berates herself for it. "I was just wondering because I'm planning on going to Berkeley to study architecture."

"_You_ got into Berkeley?" The words are out before she can stop them, and she slaps her hand over her mouth, looking horrified. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way."

Ryan chuckles, enjoying the way she seems so flustered. He's always seen Taylor Townsend as that mysterious girl who happens to be Marissa's twin but is everything that her sister does not appear to be. He's been in Newport for nearly three years, and the only person he does not have a handle on is Taylor. He wonders why that is.

"It's okay," he assures her. "Personally, I thought the same thing, too. I mean, what's a kid from Chino doing, getting into Berkeley? I thought it must have been a joke."

"Well, you haven't been in Chino for most of high school," she reminds him primly, starting to become defensive on his behalf. "The Harbor School is known for its excellence, and I'm sure that being a student here went a long way towards helping you get into Berkeley. Besides, you must have something they like, right?"

Ryan lifted a brow. "Right," he replied slowly. "So where are you planning on going to school?"

"The Sorbonne in Paris," she replies easily and hopes that it will be true.

"Paris." He nods. "Right. You want to fall in love with a passionate Frenchman who will write passionate stories about you. I remember."

She turns crimson and sinks lower in her seat. "Oh, god. I can't believe you remember that."

Before he can respond, Summer Roberts bustles over to them. "Atwood, Taylor."

"Summer," they respond simultaneously. Taylor doesn't meet his eyes as Summer talks to him.

"So everyone is meeting at the Cohens' tomorrow night for a pre-Prom get together. I know you live there, but try to make sure that your date gets there by six, okay? The photographer is coming then, and I want everything for our senior Prom to be perfect." Summer sounds excited, and Taylor has to admit that she sounds saner than she did before she and Seth started dating.

Was it possible for Newpsies to change their ways?

"Summer, I don't _have_ a date," Ryan says slowly. "There's not really anyone that I'd go with, you know? I wasn't even really planning on going to Prom."

Summer fists her hands on her hips. "Look, Atwood. If you sit at home playing video games during senior Prom, you can bet that Seth will stick with you even if I look totally hot in my prom dress. So, you have to have a heart and save my senior Prom from totally sucking and just go. Look, I'll even find you a date." She glances around the library before looking down at Taylor who is busy pretending that she is invisible. "Taylor!"

_Crap_. "Summer?"

"Are you going to Prom?"

Taylor shakes her head warily. "Uh, no. I've got plans to watch a whole lot of Yakuza Prep and make sushi."

"Well, cancel those plans because you are going to Prom with Atwood," Summer announces with a giant smile.

Taylor's not sure who is more surprised, she or Ryan. "Look, Summer," they begin simultaneously, making Summer beam at them.

"Oh, how cute! You guys say the same thing at the same time! It must be Fate!" She pats their shoulders and bustles off. "I'll see you tomorrow night at six! Don't be late!"

Neither Taylor nor Ryan look at each other. Instead, they stare hard at the books in front of them, trying not to think about Prom.

XXX

Of course, Marissa's face is like a dark storm cloud when Ryan ties a lovely corsage on Taylor's wrist and smiles bravely at her.

"It's okay, Ryan. I won't make you dance or anything," she murmurs as they stand around the Cohens' living room, waiting to have their picture taken. "I'm not really interested in dancing anyway."

She's not feeling festive in the least because Veronica turned down her plea for the Sorbonne. Taylor knows Berkeley is a good school, but she really does not want to go to the same college as Marissa.

"Come on, Taylor." Ryan squeezes her hand in a gesture meant to comfort. "It's not that bad, is it? I mean, aside from Volchok's presence and all. It could be worse."

She nods in agreement, but her mind is thousands of miles away with the dreams of Paris that have gone up in smoke. "Right. Worse."

She's not sure how much worse it _could_ get.

XXX

Prom goes by in a blur, and, despite her bitter mood, she has to admit that Ryan was a pretty good date all in all. He wasn't pushy, didn't have grabby hands, and certainly didn't make her dance more than she wanted to. Which basically meant that they danced twice, and then he spent the rest of the night talking to her about their mutual interest in architecture and video games.

At graduation, Seth invites her to be a part of the Core Four—Fab Five with her—and she's not sure that it's such a good idea because Marissa is one of them. Plus, ever since she broke up with Volchok, she and Ryan seem to be reconciling as well.

Taylor's really not sure she can handle a Ryan and Marissa reunion again, mostly because only drama results from it, and she's not sure she can go to college with them and their issues.

But she's grateful to Seth, and Summer's been making an effort to really be friends with her, so Taylor accepts.

She may not be going to the Sorbonne, her valedictory speech receives a lukewarm response, and only Seth and Summer cheer when her name is announced, but Taylor reminds herself to count the good things in her life.

She doesn't let it depress her when she realizes that the good things are limited to having friends like Seth and Summer. Her dreams have been dashed to pieces, and she won't get a chance to go somewhere that Marissa is not. Plus, she's already lost Ryan to her twin again, even though she knows that he was never really her friend to begin with.

XXX

Taylor is stunned. Absolutely stunned.

Marissa is dead. Marissa, her twin sister, the girl who shared the womb with her, is dead. Gone. Never to return again.

Permanently.

Apparently, Volchok really wanted his girlfriend back, so he plowed into her car in an attempt to make her pull over and ended up killing Marissa.

Taylor's not sure how she feels. From somewhere in the house, she can hear Veronica alternating between raging and weeping. Taylor knows that her mother doesn't even remember that she has another daughter. A live one.

All she knows is that the girl who was her twin is now gone.

There's a knock on her bedroom door, and Taylor's movements are automatic and rigid as she opens it and steps back to let Ryan in. He looks terrible, she thinks vaguely. Like the love of his life was stolen from him.

Which, Taylor supposes, she was.

"How are you?" he asks her, and she blinks in surprise. That's the second time Ryan Atwood has wanted to know how she feels. She wants to tell him to be careful, that it could become a habit.

Since she's not sure how she feels, she sits on her bed, not caring when he settles next to her with a concerned expression on his weary, grief-stricken face.

"Taylor, are you okay? I'm sorry, so sorry about Ma-" He breaks off, his voice shaking, and she realizes that he obviously cared for her sister more than she ever did. She wonders if she should feel guilty.

Instead, she takes his hand in hers and squeezes it gently. "I'm sorry, too, Ryan." Her voice is soft, but, apparently, that's all it takes for Ryan Atwood to break apart.

She's shocked to find his head resting on her shoulder, silent tears dampening her shirt as silent sobs shake his muscular frame. She'd had no idea that Ryan Atwood could cry. She certainly doesn't think she is the best person to comfort him at the moment.

Should she call Seth? she wonders.

"I can't believe Marissa's gone," he whispers brokenly, and she automatically nods.

They sit there for a long time, Ryan's head on her shoulder, their hands intertwined. Taylor knows that he's grieving in his own way, but she's too busy being shocked at herself.

How is she supposed to know how she feels? Taylor thinks dimly. How is she supposed to do that when, all her life, she's always defined herself, her thoughts, her feelings in contrast to Marissa? Where Marissa was the outspoken, brash, everything-in-haste girl, Taylor has been her opposite. Everything that Marissa liked, Taylor did not. Taylor longed to go to the Sorbonne because Marissa would be attending Berkeley.

Taylor Townsend has unknowingly been everything Marissa was not. But, now that Marissa is gone, she is coming to realize that she needs to find herself. Who is Taylor Townsend?

_That_ is the million-dollar question, Taylor realizes.

When he notices that she is trembling, Ryan shifts until she is in his arms, her head resting against his chest. He doesn't say anything, just strokes her hair, and Taylor wishes she didn't feel wrong being in this position. He thinks she's grieving for her sister when she's really grieving the loss of herself.

Instead, she says nothing, and they remain that way until, towards dawn, they drift into sleep, chased by troubling dreams.


	3. Chapter 3

The funeral is nothing short of an extravaganza. Taylor thinks it's appalling that Veronica is turning Marissa's death into an affair to remember. There's an entire orchestra ensemble in the middle of a cemetery, and the strong scent of far too many flowers is sickening and nausea-inducing. Her mother is copiously weeping into a fellow Newpsie's shoulder while wearing her best diamonds and Chanel suit.

Taylor is sure that Veronica's probably wearing water-proof makeup as well. Anything to preserve the image.

Meanwhile, Taylor stands between Seth and Summer, both touching her in some way, attempting to offer comfort. Summer's arm is around her waist, while Seth rests his hand on Taylor's shoulder. Taylor is grateful that they care for her so much, but she knows that it's more difficult for them than it is for her to be at Marissa's funeral.

She wonders if she should feel guilty for not feeling anything but nothing at the loss of her twin.

There's poetry reciting, more loud weeping on Veronica's part, and hundreds of Newpsies looking uncomfortable and solemn as Marissa's casket is lowered into the ground.

_Ashes to ashes_, Taylor thinks.

It's not until she is climbing into her car after the ceremony that she realizes that Ryan was nowhere to be found.

XXX

"I can't believe him! God, he always does this, and it's so frustrating," Summer rants as she paces in Taylor's room. Taylor and Seth are sitting on the bed, watching her.

Taylor's not quite sure why Summer is so upset that Ryan left the Cohens' house and is out there doing his own thing. She wishes daily that she could just leave and not come back. Summer seems to think differently. Like, maybe Ryan should have been at Marissa's funeral, maybe he should be here with them, maybe he shouldn't go off to grieve on his own.

"He didn't even show any emotion when he heard about her death!" Summer exclaims, and Taylor winces because she hadn't emoted either.

She doesn't tell them about that time that Ryan had come over and cried on her shoulder. She thinks he probably left home after that night.

Besides, what's so bad about grieving on your own? She wishes everyone would just leave her alone, let her disappear, instead of making her feel things she doesn't want to feel. Why should she care that the girl who was her archenemy all her life is dead? Why should she care that her twin is six feet under in a cemetery a few miles away? Why should she care that some boy she barely knows has left home to go who knows where?

She's actually rather jealous of Ryan for having the freedom to leave his life behind whenever he chooses to do so. Too bad she can't.

She wants to cover her ears to stop the questions. Until she realizes that the questions aren't just coming from outside her head; they're buzzing around in her mind, too.

XXX

"Taylor." He sounds surprised, and she thinks that sounds about right.

She's surprised she's here as well.

She gingerly settles herself onto a grimy barstool and doesn't bother with the niceties of a smile. "Ryan."

He continues to wipe down the counter but glances at her every so often. She doesn't order, she doesn't acknowledge the bartender or the waitresses who come by to take her order. He can hear his boss, the bartender, grumbling about people taking up valuable bar space.

Finally, when he knows he can't ignore her presence any longer, he stands across from her, arms folded. He's decided that she's probably here because of Summer and Seth and Sandy and Kirsten. If she thinks he's going back with her, she's got another think coming.

"What are you doing here?" he asks in a low voice.

She shrugs one expensively-clothed shoulder and glances around the bar as though she hasn't been sitting for nearly an hour doing just that. "I just thought I'd come see how the other side lives. It's…certainly different, isn't it?"

He suppresses a small smile at her prim and proper tone of voice. She's got polite down to a science, he thinks. "Were you expecting something like the yacht club?"

Those surprisingly deep eyes of hers shift back and latch onto his, and he blinks at the emotion that swarms in them for an instant before she blinks. Whatever was there is gone. "Of course not. I'm not that naïve."

Remembering that her mother _is_ Veronica, and she _was_ Marissa's twin, he figures she's got that right. "Well, look. If the Cohens and Summer sent you here to get me to come back home, you can just turn right around and go back because I'm not going back. I'm fine here."

She nods, her legs swinging slightly, attracting attention from a trio of hardened pool players who narrow their eyes appreciatively at her. Ryan stares stonily at them, and they back off.

"Oh, Ryan," she shakes her head. "Don't be silly. The Cohens don't even know I'm here."

He frowns, confused. "Then, what are you doing here?"

She leans forward conspiratorially. "I'm learning how to run away. It's the only way I'll get to live my own life. I've waited eighteen years to do this, and I am not going to let Marissa ruin it for me, even in death."

Ryan blinks. Once, then again. Well, he thinks. One thing you can say about Taylor Townsend is that she's never boring.

XXX

"Ryan? Are you sleeping?" She leans over the edge of the top bunk and peers at him. In the dark, his eyes are open as he frowns up at her.

"Yeah, can't you tell?" He turns onto his side, away from her. "Go to sleep, Taylor."

She sighs and sits up on the moldy, unsanitary mattress that she is certain has just given her any number of diseases. "I can't, and I know you can't either." She pauses. "Don't lie to me, Ryan."

Down below, he closes his mouth in surprise. How did she know? "What do you want, Taylor? I let you stay with me for some reason. What more do you want?"

Within moments, she's climbed down and settled next to him. "I don't miss my sister. I was never really upset that she was gone, and that makes me feel like the world's worst person," she confesses in a rush. Her chin is up, as though she is daring him to lash out at her for her sentiments.

Ryan sits up slowly, wondering how she's said what she did with a cheerful voice. "What do you want me to tell you?" he asks slowly. "Do you want me to yell at you, throw you out, wish you were dead?"

She shrugs and looks away. In that moment, even in the dark, he glimpses her deep uncertainty with herself, with the world, with life. Something moves inside him, and he realizes it's that instinctive need to protect. His brows lift in surprise at himself. He hasn't felt this way since Marissa's death nearly seven months earlier.

"Taylor," he begins, uncertain of what he'll say.

She looks back at him and smiles. "It's okay, Ryan. I suppose I can't expect any better from myself, right? After all, I'm a Townsend, and Townsends are known for their foolish, flighty fickleness."

"Stop it." His voice is low and makes the tiny hairs on the back of her neck prickle. "Stop doing that, stop saying that."

Her laugh is a light tinkle, sprinkled with nerves. "Stop what? It's the truth. We're a lost cause." She licks her lips nervously, climbs off his bed, and reaches for her things. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come here. You don't deserve anymore Townsend drama."

She moves towards the door and finds her arm caught before she reaches for the doorknob. Her head moves slowly to turn and look up into his indecipherable blue eyes. "Ryan?"

"It's late. I'll take you back in the morning."

Nodding, she lets him lead her back to the bunk beds and says nothing when he holds her close in the small confines of the narrow bottom bunk.

It almost feels as though he's protecting her, and she drifts off on the thought that it's the first time she's even remotely felt safe.

XXX

Sandy and Kirsten exchange surprised looks as everyone looks on in astonishment. Ryan and Taylor are sitting on the edge of the pool, feet dangling in the water, talking. They've been doing this for the past few hours, and the Cohens are in shock.

"Who knew?" Sandy murmurs, and Kirsten settles her head on his shoulder.

"She brought him back, so maybe…?" It's a question that goes unanswered.

Even Seth and Summer are stunned. The day before, Ryan had shown up at the front door, a hesitant smile on his face.

"_Is this…Is it okay if I come back?" He's afraid to look Sandy in the face. When he finds himself clutched tight to his father, he lets go of the tension that's followed him for months. "Thanks."_

"_You never have to thank me, kid. You're just in time for dinner." Sandy reaches out to put his arm around his son's shoulders and is caught off-guard when Ryan steps aside to reveal a nervous Taylor Townsend._

"_Can Taylor stay for dinner?"_

Now, the two are huddled together, speaking earnestly, and the Cohens are sure Ryan has said more in this one conversation than he has in three years with them.

When he tugs playfully on Taylor's hair, chuckles, and turns to go into the house, Sandy and Kirsten instantly busy themselves with something, curiosity at the utmost peak.

"Hey." Ryan shifts uncomfortably, it's still a bit strange for him to be back here and not have received a lecture for running off in the first place. "I think Taylor and I are going to go see a movie. She's got this thing for animé like Seth, so we might take Seth and Summer with us, too. I hope that's okay."

Kirsten nods eagerly. "Of course, you should go and have fun. A movie sounds like a great idea."

"Thanks."

"She's been through a lot," Sandy says quietly, and Ryan nods. "She's lucky to have you."

Ryan shrugs. "Uh, I guess. She thinks I'm funny. It's weird." Sandy and Kirsten hide their surprise well. "Right, so we'll see you later, then?"

"Have fun," Kirsten calls after him as they watch him head back to Taylor and hold out a hand to help her up. She glances back at the house nervously and smiles before she and Ryan disappear around the corner of the house.

Sandy lets out a long sigh. Kirsten smiles at him, and he slides an arm around her waist, knowing things will be okay. "Taylor thinks he's funny."

XXX

**AN: **_Sorry about the wait. I've been busy with exams, papers, and job interviews. This is the end, and I hope everyone liked it! This was a different way of writing for me, and it took me longer to write, but I'm pretty glad it came out the way it did. Thanks for all the love and reviews :)_


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